Alternatively: The Itinerant Gardener !!

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I had the chance to be away from the pulpit today and grabbed it with both hands, well, grabbed the bike and rode before anyone could stop me!! I was confronted by the usual low-sunday features, small congregation, (no hope of hiding then) quite reflective service, the Gospel was of course about Thomas who I notice Maggi calls ‘Honest Thomas’, a theme I like.

I however, was confronted during the sermon by the arrogance of the church. I’m sure it was not intended to come across as it did, but to me it sounded as if the preacher was digging hopelessly at those who choose not to believe. ‘Despite the doubt, it is still true, no matter what you say.’ I’ve an image in my head of someone with their fingers in their ears screaming ‘lah lah lah lah lah’ just not listening because the others view does not fit their understanding of the world.

I think we need to listen to those who doubt, those who say it is untrue, those who find it impossible to believe and instead of replying, ‘Well, no matter what you say, it just is’ perhaps start to question why we believe in the way we do, and to examine our certainty, perhaps becoming a little more humble. Then perhaps we can reply to those who cast doubts upon faith with a little grace, asking instead, what they do believe in and why.

Perhaps I should have said something, but perhaps, as usual, it was just me… So I slipped out the door and rode for the hills!

It is kind of apt as I ‘intend’ to tidy the study tomorrow, and I’m sure many are beginning their spring cleaning.

These are the confessions of my ‘bin day’ week

On ‘brown bin’ bin day I offer these things not as rubbish to be thrown away, but with a hope that the potential within it can be released into life giving, nutritious compost.
Grass cuttings,
Pruned twigs from hedges,
Dead flower heads
Failed vegetables.

I offer them as a confession of my need for green space, perfect lawns, neatly trimmed hedges, beautiful flower beds.
As I give them up let them be a reminder to try not to worry too much about the edges of the lawn or the shape of the hedges and to occasionally only garden the weeds allowing new plants colours and shapes to develop.

On ‘blue box’ bin day I offer these things not as rubbish, but with the potential to be something new for those who need these precious resources to create anew bottles cans and packaging.
Plastic milk bottles,
Glass jars,
Food packaging,
Tin cans.
I offer them as a confession of my need to have prepared foods, convenient meals and exotic treats preserved and shipped from all corners of this world.
As I give up these things let them be a reminder to try to shop more locally, eat seasonally and buy unprocessed foods.

On ‘blue bag’ bin day I offer all the paper that has come into this house, the half-read Newspapers, junk-mail, envelopes, shredded bills and bank letters, catalogues full of stuff we can live without and ill afford. I offer these as a gift to be created into new paper, new words and offers with the hope that some of them may inspire, teach and re-create. As I give these up remind me of the hours of work that has gone into the writing, printing and publishing, that even what I call junk-mail is supporting someone in a job and although useless to me may be used again for a better purpose.

On ‘black bag bin day I give up my share of what we all cannot deal with. As I fill this bag with all the unwanted things that cannot be recycled I am joined to others, linked with those who take away our rubbish and hide it from our eyes so we do not have to look upon all that we did not want. I add to this bag worries and hurts caused to others, the unseen consequences of past actions, pledging to put out a slimmer bag next week.